Washington County (Utah). County Recorder Deeds (Toquerville)

Historical Note

Scope and Content

In 1882 the territorial legislature shifted the boundary between Kane and Washington Counties, so that a large section of western Kane County became part of Washington County (Laws of Utah, 1882, Chapter LII, "Creating Garfield County"). The county recorder began a new set of deed books for the annexed land. These books contain a wide variety of documents relating to real property in eastern Washington County, which includes Toquerville, Hurricane, LaVerkin, Springdale, Rockville, Grafton, Virgin City, New Harmony, Bellevue, Mountaindell, and Duncan. These deed books contain warranty or quit claim deeds, which conveyed property from one individual to another; probate judge deeds validating individual claims to land in Grafton, Virgin City and Toquerville; and desert land and homestead certificates documenting individual homesteads or purchases in the public domain. They contain state land certificates issued to purchasers of state owned lands. They contain tax deeds and sheriff's deeds chronicling the sale of property for unpaid taxes or debts. Whenever the 5th District Court settled an estate or otherwise adjudicated a land related issue, the court decree was also recorded in the deed books. The deed books contain other land related documents, including mining claims, agreements, oil and gas leases, assignments, easements, and right of way deeds. They contain additional miscellaneous records such as affidavits, bishop's certificates and powers of attorney.

In 1924 the Washington County recorder made a certified transcript of "all the writings in (Kane County record books) which may in any way affect title to lands formerly part of Kane Co, but later transferred to Washington County." Kane County records in this transcription include original land certificates and water certificates as well as many probate judge deeds conveying town site land in Toquerville, Rockville, and New Harmony. The transcript also contains some mining claims and deeds in the Harrisburg mining district.

Land in Hurricane was originally owned by the Hurricane Canal Company which divided the area into town lots and sold them when the canal was completed. Many corporation deeds conveying land in the Hurricane town site were recorded in Deed Record Books U 3 and U 4. Deed Books U 6 and U 7 contain numerous right of way deeds authorizing installation of telephone and electric wires and poles. Deed Books U 6, U 7, and U 8 include a significant number of tax deeds.

Arrangement

Chronological by date recorded.

Research Note

Even though the Washington County recorder's transcript of records from the Kane County record books was made in 1924, it has been ordered at the beginning of this series to provide continuity and to reflect that the actual records were created much earlier.

Related Records

Official records from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 7067, contain deeds and and all other documents recorded in this series after 1954.

Abstracts (sectional land) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 16432, provide reference to documents based on the location of the land.

Water certificates and deeds from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23251, contain deeds and other documents relating to water rights recorded after 1889.

Deeds (Washington) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23262, may contain additional deeds relating to eastern Washington County.

Deeds (Silver Reef) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23263, contain many early mining records, deeds and land certificates for the Silver Reef area.

Deeds (Saint George) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23286, may contain additional deeds relating to land in the western part of this area.

Miscellaneous records index from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23468, references miscellaneous records in this series.

Abstracts (Saint George) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23554, contain documents referred to in the abstracts for Hurricane.

Abstracts (towns) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23555, provide reference to documents based on location of land within a surveyed town site.

Mining deeds from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23669, contain mining deeds and other mining related documents recorded after 1901.

Mining records from Harrisburg Mining District (Utah). Recorder, Series 23675, contain additional mining notices of location and deeds recorded in the Harrisburg District.

Powers of attorney index from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23685, provides reference to the powers of attorney recorded in this series.

Mining notices of location from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 81372, contain subsequent mining notices of location for eastern Washington County.

Grantee indexes from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 82703, provide reference by surname of purchaser or grantee to documents recorded after 1888.

Grantor indexes from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 82704, provides reference by surname of seller or grantor to documents recorded after 1888.

Miscellaneous record books from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 82707, contain subsequently recorded miscellaneous records.

Water claims index from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 82708, provides reference to records in this series related to water rights.

Agreements and leases from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 84209, contain agreements and leases recorded after 1923.

Auditor's tax deeds from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 84213, contain auditor's tax deeds recorded after 1935.

Access Restrictions

This series is classified as Public.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Processing Note

Washington County Deed Records in this series were microfilmed by Utah State Archives in July and August 1973. Transcripts of Kane County records were microfilmed in September 1993. This series was processed by Rosemary Cundiff in March 2001.

Finding Aids

Indexes: A separate index accompanies the transcription of Kane County deeds, however it is simply a chronological list of the documents in the order they were transcribed. Deed Books U 11 and U 12 include separate alphabetical indexes. For other references, see related records.